Week 3, Day 2. Rain again today. And cold. Not sure it was even 50 degrees when we set out today. The kids were cozy in the stroller and had fun playing with the raindrops that landed on the outside of the windows. We didn’t think twice about canceling today’s training. We couldn’t. We had to adjust our schedule this week to get three runs in because of some early morning commitments later in the week, and if we waited for a clear, non-rainy day, we’d lose our opportunity. As we walked for our warm-up (which by the way is inaccurate terminology on a day like today; I don’t think I ever actually warmed up.) and were pelted with cold rain drops, I thought of a friend of ours who is known for her walks around town. Cold, rain, snow, heat, whatever the element, since we’ve lived here, we would see her pass our house on her daily walk. Some days, days like today, I’d think, “She’s crazy.” Today, we were the crazy ones. My husband agreed. And we passed our friend’s house. If she had seen us, I wonder if she would have said the same thing.
This running thing, it’s kind of a crazy thing, and I’m glad to be called such. We had a great training session. My only complaint was that my legs and knees didn’t appreciate the cold, or the downhill that we usually run uphill. I’m still tinkering with the running wardrobe. Today, I wore a long-sleeve tee under a regular tee and shorts. I might have been OK with the pants today. I added a hat for the first time, which was a big benefit to being able to see in the rain. The last time we ran in the rain, I was blind by the time we finished. Today, I still had sight when we were cooling down.
I’m amazed at how determined I am to do this, even in the rain and the cold. I think having a goal at the end helps. Or maybe it’s more than that. Maybe I’m getting this discipline thing. Or the commitment thing. That you stick with a plan no matter the obstacles you face. You tough it out for the reward at the end. Applies to running. Applies to marriage. Applies to life.
For those of you reading, you inspire me with your stories and advice and encouragement. You’ve been there, and I see that I can get there. I can’t wait.
Just think – “You are so much more THERE than you were 3 weeks ago.”